Distillation apparatus



Sept. 123, 1924.

C. DRESSLER DISTILLATION APPARATUS ocmw ,M VM@ m ws m. .v. wk

mmm @l www Patented Sept. '23, i924.

meant FAFNF CONRAD DRESSLER, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN DRESSLER TUN- NEL `KII'JNS, INC., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION CEF NEW YORK.

DISTIIJLATION APPARATUS.

Application filed November 14, 1919, Serial No. 338,008. Renewed March', 19%.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, subject of the King of Great Br1ta1n, and resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Distillation Apparatus, of which the followin is a specification. I n Y y present invention comprises improved distillation apparatus. AThe general purpose of the invention is the prov1s1onot simple and effective apparatus for the treatment of coal, peat and other substances, hereafter generically referred to as coal, capable of being distilled, vaporized pr decomposed by heat, so as to progressivelyincrease the temperature to lwhich the` coal 1s subjected and thus fractionally distil or vaporze the volatile constituents of the coal with a segregation and separate recovery of volatile fractions'driven out of the coal at different temperatures. In carrying out my invention I distil the coal in a tunnel kiln of the muiiie type and preferably of the well known Dressler type.

The various features of novelty which charaterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to, and forming a part of this specification but for a general understandingof the invention, its advantages, and specific objects obtained with its use, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment vention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic longitudinal sectional elevation.

Fig. 2 is a temperature curve.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the kiln, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the kiln, the section being taken 'similar to Fig. 1 but on a larger scale, land Fig. 5 is a partial section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and illustrating an expansion joint construction.

In the drawings I show a kiln of the Well known Dressler type as shown for example by my prior Patents, #1,023,628 and #1,- 170,428 but having certain special constructive features. As shown the kiln comprises a kiln chamber AA with refractory walls of masonry B and kieselguhr insulation B CoNi'zAD DRnssLnR, a

and formed with benches C throughout the major portion of its length which are 1ocated at opposite sides of the pathway for the trucks D or other carriers for transporting the coal through the tunnel. Preferably the trucks are provided With shallow trays or shelves D1 on Whichthe coal is placed. The kiln is provided with double doors E, at its entrance end, and double doors F at its exit end, to permit the periodic insertion and removal of trucks without any appreciable influx of air or escape of distillation gases. On the benches C are mounted the combustion chambers H in which combustion is initiated and lthrou h which the products of combustion travel, 1ssuing from the combustion chambers proper into pipes I through which the products of combustion pass to a iiue J at the entrance end of the kiln leading to a stack or other draft producing device, not shown. Between the exit end of the kiln and the ends of the combustion chambers adjacent thereto, is a goods cooling system K which may be of the usual type employed in Dressler kilns, but preferably is of the special water heating and steam generating type described in detail, and claimed in my co ending application, Serial No. 338,009 ed of even date herewith.

In operation gas or other combustible fuel and air to support combustion are admitted to the combustion chambers at or adjacent their ends remote from the entrance end of the kiln in the usual manner and so as to maintain, in regular use, the desired temperatures at different points along the length of the kiln. The temperature thus maintained may in some cases for example be that illustrated by the curve shown in Fig. 2. With the temperature conditions illustrated in Fig. 2, the kiln temperature rises gradually from a temperature say 50 C. at the entrance end of the kiln, to a maximum temperature of say 650 C. at a point a little beyond the center of the kiln, then remains stationary for some distance along the kiln, and then drops in the cooling zone of the kiln along the cooling system K, to an exit temperature of say C. It will be understood of course that both the temperature limits and the manner which the temperature varies between these limits may be changed to suit the nature of the coal treated or other conditions of use.

As the coal is slowly passed through the kiln on the trucks D7 gases and vapors are given ofl' and these vapors and gas sweeping over `the pipes I and 'through the circulation passages la. in the hollow walls of the combustion chambers H, form the circulating medium for transferring heat generated by the combustion occurring in the combustion chambers H, to the coal. Similarly the gases and va ors transmit heat from the coal to the coo ing system K adjacent the exit end of the kiln.

The vapors and gases driven off from the coal vary in composition with the temperature of the coal and to provide for the sep'- arate recovery of vapor and gas fractions of dierent composition, I provide outlets for gases or vapor at intervals along the top of the kiln and connect the different outlets L to separate exhausters M, and to collecting systems not shown. In addition I shape the top of the kiln chamber to provide a considerable gas and vapork colecting space above' the coal and divide this space into compartments A by means of transverse partition walls- A. o keep the separate fractions apart 'as far as possible, the lower edges of the partition walls A are arranged to terminate as near asposvsible to the upper surface of the charge of coal undergoing distillation so as to prevent the fraction distilled within' one part of the distillation chamber, at one range of temperature, from mixing with those distilled off within adjacent parts of the distillation chamber at other ranges of temperature. The transverse Walls A are so arranged in relation to the combustion chambers as to divide the upper part o-f the distillation chamber into a number of comartments or collectin spaces corresponding to given ranges o temperature in the distillation chamber so as to collect fractional distillates of approximately deinite characteristics. For instance, two of the transverse Walls A may be so arranged in relation to the combustion chambers as to form a collecting space over that portion of the distillation chamber, the temperature of which rises to, or is at, a temperature of say 100 C. to 150 C., so that water vapour distilled from the coal will enter the col lecting space, the next transverse wall being arranged at such a distance from the one next to it as to form a collecting space for a distillate givenol Within a range oi temperatures of say from about 150 to 200 C. and so on, according to requirement.

The transverse Walls may advantageously be arranged to 'be carried by parts of the wall of the heating distillation chamber where spaces are left or provisions made for longitudinal expansion. All join-ts should of course be sealed toy prevent escape of the distillates except thro-ugh the draw off outlets of the collecting spaces provided for the purpose. This can conveniently be done by the use of packing material, for instance by the usual kieselguhr insulation B1. As shown, the partition Walls or barriers A are formed with flanges A2 which rest on the margins of kerfs or slots B2 formed in the masonry wall. The partition walls may be formed of cast iron in some cases and in other cases of more refractory material. These kerfs or slots B2 are each initially of a width appreciably greater than the thickness of the corresponding walls A to permit of the free expansion of the sections of the kiln Wall at opposite sides of the kerf B2. Below the bottom level of the partitions A an expansion joint extension o-f each kerf or slot B2 is formed in the side of the kiln Wall. These expansion joint extensions are preferably formed as shown in Fig. 5 with overlappin ribs or shoulders B8 and B4 of the Wal sections at o posite sidesof each expansion joint. T e outer slot B5 of 4the expansion joint extensions may advantageousl be covered at its outer edge by a strip 6 of metal or more refractory material as heavy asbestos paper or the like. These strips prevent the kieselguhr or other insulation from entering `the slot, and do not take up much space or otherwise revent the kieselguhr from performing either its heat insulating or joint packing function. To prevent appreciable longitudinal flow alone the kiln of the vapors and gases given of? in diferent portions of the kiln the pressures in the various compartments Af should be carefully balanced.v

For this purpose the pressure regulation obtained by the exhauster may be supplemented by the use of automatic pressure regulating dampers O of known type. T o prevent undue pressures in the compartments A in case of any failure of the regulating apparatus, or the explosion of gases in the kiln, the outlets L may be provided With outwardly opening doors L forming, in effect, safety valves.

The tar and oils driven. out of the coal and collecting in liquid form in the bottom lof the kiln are drawn off thru one or more outlets l for such liquids which tap troughs or channels Q beneath the track rails on which the trucks D run. The coke or partially carbonized coal residue of the distillation process is carried out of the kiln with the trucks D through the exit doors F.

While in accordance With the provisions of the statutes l have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment in my invention now known to'me, it will be appiar ent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features. v

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In distillation apparatus comprising -an elongated kiln or retort formed with a pathway there through for the material to be distilled, means for moving said material along said pathway, and means for heating the kiln to a temperature varying progressively at points along the length of the kiln, said heating means comprising combustion chambers and provisions for settng'up a directed convection current circulation of the kiln atmosphere in planes transverse to the length of the kiln, the improvement which consists in a gas receiving space above said pathway of substantial volume and divided into a longitudinally extending series of compartments open at their lower ends and having individual gas outlets.

2. In distillation apparatus comprising an elongated kiln or retort formed with a pathway there through vfor the material to be distilled, means for moving said material along said pathway and means for heating the kiln to a temperature varying progressively at points along the length of the kiln, said -heating means comprising combustion chambers and provisions for setting up a directed convection current circulation o the kiln atmosphere in planes transverse to the length of the kiln, the improvement which consists in a gas receiving space above said pathway of substantial volume and divided into al longitudinally extending series or' compartments open at their lower ends and separate gas exhausting means for and connected to the different compartments.

3. In distillation apparatus comprising an elongated kiln or retort formed with a path- Way there through for the material to be distilled, means for moving said material along said pathway and means for heating the kiln to a temperature varying progressively at points along the length of the kiln, said heating means comprising combustion chambers and provisions for setting up a directed convection current circulation oi the kiln atmosphere in planes transverse to the length of the kiln, the improvement which consists in a gas receivin space above said pathway of substantial vo ume and divided into a. longitudinally extending series of compartments open at their lower ends separate exhausters for and connected to the different compartments and automatic dampers controlling the pressure maintained in each compartment by the corresponding eX- hauster. 4. In distillation apparatus an elongated kiln or retort, a refractory wall enclosing a kilnchamber comprising a pathway for the material to be distilled and a gas space above said pathway, means for moving said material along said pathway, means for heating said chamber to a temperature varying progressively along said length of the chamber, said wall being divided into sections by transverse expansion joints, and barriers inserted between the sections and dividing said gas space into a series of com` partments. p

5. In distillation apparatus an elongated kiln or retort a refractory wall enclosing a kiln chamber comprising a pathway for the material to be distilled and a gas space above said pathway, means for moving said material along said pathway, means for heating said chamberto a temperature varying progressively along said length of the chamber, said wall being divided into sections by transverse expansion joints and barriers inserted between the sections and having flanges at their outer edges overlapping the ends of the sections, said barriers dividing said gas space into a series of compartments.

6. An elongated kiln or retort having a refractory wall enclosing a kiln chamber and divided into sections by transverse expansibn joints, adjacent sections being formed with overlapping shoulders, strips of refractory material covering the outer edges of said joints vand a covering of material as kieselguhr for said wall, adapted to insulate the latter against heat losses and restricting leakage thru the joints thereof.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this thirteenth day-of November A. D. 1919. CONRAD DRESSLER. Witness: n

WILLIAM A. SHIELDS. 

